Movable stairway.



F. E. BESSLER.

MOVABLE STAIRWAY.

APPLICATION FILED APR-28.1915.

1,21 9,697 Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

o Attorneys,

F. E. BESSLER.

MOVABLESTAIRWAY.

APPLICATION FILED APR- 28. 1916.

1,21 9,697. Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- Witnesses Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Witnesses Inventor Attorneys,

. WASHINGYUN. u. c.

FRANK E. BESSLER, or AKRON, OHIO.

MOVABLE STAIRWAY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 26, 1917..

Application filed April 28, 1916. Serial No. 94,186.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK E. BESSLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Akron, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Movable Stairway, of which the following is a specification.

The device forming the subject matter of this application is' a structure of that general type in which a slidable stairway is mounted to reciprocate upon a hingedly supported panel, the invention being of use, primarily, to afford a means of ascent to a hatchway or opening in a ceiling, under conditions which will make practically impossible, the use of a fixed pair of stairs.

The present invention aims to provide novel means for controlling the swinging movement of the panel and to provide novel means for directing and controlling the movement of the slidable stairway.

It is within the scope of the invention to improve generally and to enhance the utility of, devices of that type to which the present invention appertains.

With the above andother objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a vertical section, wherein the panel and the'slidable stairway appear in elevation, the panel being swung downwardly, and the stairway being slid downwardly on the panel;

Fig. 9. is a section and detail illustrating one of the brackets which, being mounted upon the panel, serve to support the stairway for sliding movement;

Fig. 3 is an elevation showing one of the brackets which are mounted upon the frame to which the panel is hinged, these brackets constituting places of attachment for one of the flexible elements whereby the movements of the panel and the stairway are controlled;

Fig. ft is a vertical sectional view, similar to Fig. 1, but showing the panel swung upwardly and the stairway as retracted upon the panel;

Fig. 5 is a fragmental vertical section showing the latch mechanism whereby the free end of the panel is upheld with respect to the frame whereunto the panel is hinged;

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional detail illustrating the bracket mechanism at the upper end of the panel, together with a portion of the means whereby the latch mechanism shown in Fig. 5 is operated;

Fig. 7 is a top plan showing the panel swung upwardly and the stairway retracted on the panel;

Fig. 8 is an elevation of the actuating drum and attendant parts, portions being broken away;

Fig. 9 is an end elevation of the actuating drum and the parts whereby the same is supported.

In carrying out the present invention there is provided a frame 1, defining a hatchway 2, the frame 1 ordinarily being a portion of the ceiling of an apartment. A panel 3 is hinged at one end as indicated at 4-. to the frame 1. Mounted upon the panel 3 adjacent-its lower end are lower brackets 5, having inwardly projecting fingers 6, as will be understood best from Fig. 2. Rollers 7 are journaled on the brackets 5 and the brackets support vertically disposed sheaves 8. Secured to the panel 3 adjacent the hinged mounting 4 are upper brackets 9, provided with fingers 6, as shown in Fig. 6. Sheaves 10 are journaled on the upper brackets 9 and lie approximately parallel to the panel 3. The upper brackets 9 support rollers 11.

A stairway is mounted to reciprocate upon the panel 3, longitudinally of the same, the stairway being denoted generally by the numeral 12. The stairway includes stiles 11 and treads 15 connecting the stiles. As shown in Figs. 2 and 6, the stiles 14 rest upon the rollers 7 and 11, and thus the stairway is supported upon the panel 3 for antifrictional sliding movement. In the outer faces of the stiles 14 grooves or guides 17 are formed, and in these grooves or guides, the fingers 6 of the brackets 5 and 9 register slidably, as indicated. best in Figs. 2 and 6. By the construction last above outlined, the stiles 14 are held on the rollers 7 and 11. Stops 18 are secured to the stiles 14 adjacent the upper and lower ends of the stairway 12, these stops, respectively, being adapted to engage the inwardly projecting fingers (3 ot the brackets, to limit the stairway 12 in its upward and downward sliding movement upon the panel 3. Spring latches 1S are held on. the stiles 14, by means of the stops 18. The latches 18 coact yieldingly with the brackets 5 and 9 to hold the stairway either in the advanced position oi the Fig. 1 or the retracted position of Fig. 4.

A flexible element 19 is provided, the same being secured, as shown best in Fig. 3, to an eye bolt 20 passed through a bracket 21 secured to the frame 1, there being a nut 22 upon the eye bolt 20 which engages the bracket. From the eye bolt 29, the flexible element 19 is extended around. one sheave S, thence rcarwardly along the panel 3 and around one sheave 10, thence forwardly along the panel and through a pulley block 23, thence rearwardly along the panel and around the other sheave 10, thence forwardly along the panel around the other sheave 8 and thence upwardly into connection with another eye bolt 20 and bracket 21, mounted upon the frame 1, all of which will be clearly understood when Figs. 1, 4 and 7 are examined.

Attached to the pulley block 23 is a flexible element 24 trained around a drum and secured thereto at 26 as shown in Fig. The drum 25 is journaled for rotation on a shaft 27 which, in its turn, is journaled in a frame 28 secured to the lowermost tread 15 of the stairway 12 as shown in Fig. 9. A spring 29 is secured at one end to the shaft 27, and at its other end is secured to the drum 25. The spring 29 constitutes a means for actuating the drum 25 under conditions which will be pointed out hereinafter. In the ordinary operation of the structure there is no relative movement between the drum 25 and the shaft 27, such relative movement being prevented by ratchet wheels 30 mounted upon one or lroth ends of the shaft 27 and engaged by spring actuated pawls 31 which are pivoted to the frame 28. One end of the shaft 27 is squared as indicated at 32 to receive a wrench or key, and it will now be understood that by this means, the shaft 27 may be rotated with respect to the drum 25, in order to adjust the tension of the spring 29, the pawl and ratchet mechanism 3031 serving to hold the tension which has been attained.

A post 33 is secured to one of the upper brackets 9 and to the post 33 is secured as indicated at 34, an upper hand rail section 35. The hand rail section 35 is mounted to slide along side of another hand rail section 36 which, in its turn, is supported by a post 38 attached to one of the stiles 14 of the stairway 12. The adjacent, inner ends of the hand rail sections 35 and 36 are slidably connected by means of guides 37.

Noting Fig. 5 it will be observed that an opening 39 is formed in the panel 3, adjacent its free end. Surrounding the open: ing 39 is a base plate 40, upon which is fulcrumed a lever 41, extended through the opening 39 and terminated at its upper end in a forwardly presented, angularly disposed latch 42, beveled-at its outer end, as indicated at 42 and adapted to look over a keeper 43 which is secured to the frame 1. The lower end of the lever 41 terminates in a rearwardly extended arm 44 to which a depending flexible element 45 is attached. The lever 41 is equipped with a laterally projecting lug 46 in which a rod 47 is mounted to slide, the rod 47 being slidably received in a screw eye 48 screwed into the panel 3. The forward outer end of the rod 47 terminates in a hook 49 engaged around the forward edge of the lever 41. A spring 50 surrounds the rod 47, the ends of the spring 50 abutting against washers 51, One of which washers 51 abuts against the screw eye 48 the other of which washers abuts against the lug 46. The rear, upper end of the rod 47 is pivoted as shown at 52 in Fig. 6 to a lever 53 disposed parallel to the panel 3 and fulcrumed at 54, intermediate its ends upon the panel. The outer end oi the lever lies in the path of the lower end of a hand lever 56, fulcrumed at 57, intermediate its ends, upon the post Presupposing that the parts are in the positions shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the operation of the structure is as follows It the operator stands below the panel 3, the flexible element 45 is drawn upon and the lever 41 is tilted upon its fulcrum, withdrawing the latch 42 from the lug 43 which is mounted on the frame 1. If the operator stands upon the upper floor that is, above the panel 3, then the hand lever 56 is tilted on its fulcrum 57, the lower end of the hand lever striking the end 55 of the lever 53 and tilting the latter lever upon its fulcrum 54, the rod 47 being retracted, and the hook 49 of the rod 47 swinging the lever 41 upon its fulcrum and withdrawing the latch 42 from engagement with the keeper 43. The panel 3 may now be swung downwardly, upon its hinged mounting 4, and if the operator stands below the panel, the panel 3 is swung downwardly by means of the flexible element 45. The function of the interengagement between the latch 42 and the keeper 43 is to prevent the panel 3 from swinging downwardly, should a person accidentally tread upon the panel, when the panel is uplifted as shown in Fig. 4.

When the panel 3 is swung into the inclined position shown in Fig. 1, the stairway 12 will move downwardly, under its own weight, or under a slight pull, the stiles 14 of the stairway moving along the rollers 7 and 11.

When the panel 3 swings downwardly into the position shown in Fig.1, the flexible element 19 traverses the sheaves 8 and 10, the pulley block 23 moving rearwardly and upwardly, because the upper ends of the flexible element 19 are operatively connected with the brackets 21 mounted on the frame 1. By this operation, the flexible element 24 will be reeled off the drum 25 and the spring 29 will be put under tension. When the stairway l3 rides downwardly along the panel 3 into the depending position shown in Fig. 1, the element 24 will be unreeled further from the drum 25, the tension of the spring 29 being increased accordingly.

The parts now appear as shown in Fig. 1.

In order to close the panel 3, the same is swung upwardly. The spring 29 now reacts upon the drum 25, the flexible element 24 and the flexible element 19, the pulley block 23 being advanced toward the drum 25 and the flexible element 24 being reeled upon the drum 25. Thus, the spring 29, actuating the drum 25, serves at once to raise the panel 3 and slide the stairway 12 rearwardly. As the stairway 12- is slid rearwardly and upwardly, the same protrudes more and more beyond the hinged mounting 4 of the panel. 3, and thus the panel is overbalanced, and the operation of raising the panel is facilitated accordingly.

When the parts move toward the positions shown in Fig. 5, the beveled end 42 of the latch 42 coacting with the keeper 43 will enable the latch to hook over the keeper, the spring 50 yielding to permit thisresult, but serving to maintain the latch engaged with the keeper.

When the stairway 12 is slid downwardly into the position shown in Fig 1, relative movement between the hand rail sections 35 and 36 will take place, the hand rail, considered generally, being elongated. When the stairway 12 is slid upwardly along the panel 3, the hand rail sections 35 and 36 will telescope upon each other, as will be understood from Fig. 4.

For convenience in illustration, the hand rail sections 35 and 36 have been shown as located upon the left hand side of the stairway 12 but, obviously, if desired, these elements may be shifted over to the right hand side of the stairway, the matter in question being a detail which is well within the skill of a mechanic and requiring neither illustration nor extended description.

Attention is directed to my copending applications 62,834 and 62,835, wherein are shown, described and claimed, movable stairways resembling the one shown in this application.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. In a device of the class described, a frame; a panel hinged thereto; a stairway mounted to slide on the panel; primary sheaves upon the panel adjacent the hinged mounting of the panel; secondary sheaves upon the panel adjacent the free end of the panel; a flexible element comprising a bight extended toward the free end of the panel the ends of the flexible element being passed first around the primary sheaves and then around the secondary sheaves and being terminally secured to the frame; an automatic rewinding drum on the stairway adjacent the free end thereof; a flexible element connected with the drum; and means for connecting the last specified flexible element slidably with the bight of the first specified element.

2. In a device of the class described, a frame; a panel hinged thereto; a stairway mounted to slide on the panel; primary sheaves upon the panel adjacent the hinged mounting of the panel; secondary sheaves upon the panel adjacent the free end of the panel; and a flexible element comprising a bight extended toward the free end of the panel, the ends of the flexible element being passed first around the primary sheaves and then around the secondary sheaves and being terminally secured to the frame; an automatic rewinding drum on the stairway adjacent the free end thereof and means for connecting the driving drum with the bight of the flexible element.

3. In a device of the class described, a frame; a panel hinged thereto; a stairway mounted to slide on the panel and longer than the panel, whereby when the stairway is slid rearwardly, the same will extend past the hinged mounting of the panel and tend to overbalance the panel; primary sheaves upon the panel adjacent the hinged mounting of the panel; secondary sheaves upon the panel adjacent the free end of the panel; a flexible element comprising a bight extended toward the free end of the panel, the ends of the flexible element being passed around the primary sheaves and around the secondary sheaves and being terminally secured to the frame; an automatic rewinding drum on the stairway, and means for connecting the drum with the bight of the flexible element.

4. In a device of the class described, a frame; a panel hinged thereto; a stairway mounted to slide on the panel; a primary sheave journaled on the panel adjacent the hinged mounting of the panel; a secondary sheave journaled on the panel adjacent the free end of the panel; an automatic rewinding' drum mounted on the stairway adjacent the free end of the panel; a flexible element secured to the frame and extended around the secondary sheave and the primary sheave; and means for connecting the fiex- 15 ible element with the drum.

I11 testimony that I claim the foregoing as my oWn I have hereto ailiXed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

FRANK E. BESSLER.

Witnesses AMos I-I. ENeLnBnoK, EDWIN WV. BENUSE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

